Problems Streaming from Computer to Xbox 360?

There are many reasons to stream videos and music to the Xbox 360. Perhaps you want to stream digital home videos from your computer to your Xbox 360 in order to display them on the big screen for all of the family to see. Or you simply want to stream music to use with your home theater system. Streaming music also allows you the ability to replace a video game's soundtrack with your own playlist.

How to Solve Problems with Streaming from your Computer to Xbox 360

If your home uses a wireless network, start by ensuring that your computer can still connect to the internet. If it cannot, unplug your power cable from your cable or DSL modem and your wireless router. Leave them unplugged for at least 30 seconds (many manufacturers suggest leaving them unplugged for two minutes). This allows the devices to reset. Plug the modem cable in first. Once it has had time to boot up, do the same with the wireless router.

If you have a wired connection and are experiencing problems streaming your data, start by checking the connections. Ensure that all network cables are connected properly. This includes the computer containing the music or videos to the router and the Xbox to the router. This can be done by disconnecting and reconnecting each cable. If all cables are connected, then reset your modem and router as described in the previous paragraph.

Typically, either of the above will fix 90 percent of the streaming problems associated with streaming data from your computer to your Xbox 360. If they don't, the problem most likely resides with your computer. The first troubleshooting step with any computer is to restart. If restarting your computer doesn't help, ensure that your firewall has the necessary permissions set to allow your streaming software to broadcast. Check with your firewall software company as well as your streaming software manual, such as from TVersity, PlayOn or Windows Media Player for the proper permissions necessary.

Port forwarding may also be necessary for proper streaming. Check with your router manufacturer and streaming software manufacturer for more information on these settings.